Distracted
by Denebola Leo
Summary: With Seifer officially dead and a new order from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens to assassinate the sorceress, Squall's mind is slowly being distracted more and more by a certain client and a troublesome sharpshooter. Obvious Squinoa focus!


This is a favorite part of Disc 1 for myself, being a less subtle nod towards Rinoa and Squall crushing on each other, not necessarily in love, of course. I felt compelled to write it out, and so here it is. I hope you all like it!

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Anxiously, Squall read over the new orders given to him by the headmaster of Galbadia Garden, Martine. The man had just about disappeared into the confines of his car, the vehicle to make its way towards the gates of the most militaristic of the Gardens, a school more dedicated to raising quality soldiers than SeeDs such as Squall himself. It wasn't that students here couldn't transfer to Balamb to become a part of the special mercenary force, but that most seemed content with the possibility of a steady job in the expanding Galbadian military.

"BANG!"

The shout startled Squall, a deeper frown appearing on his face as he looked up at the newest member of his team, introduced minutes ago. Irvine Kinneas. The tall sniper seemed cocky in his mannerisms already, but strangely familiar, as if someone he knew, someone he should know. He squinted at the cowboy, as much out of annoyance as remembering. As Martine's vehicle disappeared, the others slowly made their way towards Squall from their various positions, anxious and excited. Even Rinoa, his client, seemed deeply interested in the turn of events despite it delaying the job she hired them for. She looked up at Squall, gently biting her lip, her dark brown eyes giving him that tranquility...That distraction.

He wasn't very pleased about having her with them for this mission. It would be extremely dangerous and would require utmost discipline to carry out successfully. Rinoa was the farthest thing from disciplined, making plans on a whim and prone to outbursts of brattiness when circumstances didn't favor her. To Squall, she was a liability to his group and a distraction to him. But why? Why did she distract him so? Ever since that damned graduation party, no matter how much they argued, he easily lost himself in those eyes, soothing him somehow.

He didn't like it at all.

"Looks like I'm with you rubes from Balamb." Irvine drawled. "Greetings." He gave a mocking bow, hat taken from his chestnut hair. He replaced it at the end of his introduction, a smirk on his face. Zell's face flushed as his fists clenched, enraging at the sardonic greetings by the newest member of the party. Squall pinched his nose in frustration, a conflict he didn't need right now.

 _'Zell...Why do you always have to overreact to everything?'_

"You cool with me helping you?" Irvine asked Squall, looking towards him with a more sincere smile.

Squall kept his unfriendly, typical frown despite the attempt at disarming him. "That depends on your attitude." He put his free hand on his hip.

Irvine chuckled, gently waving his hands in front of his chest. "I say things that get a rise out of some people. Just don't let it bother you and we'll get along fine."

 _'I shouldn't put him together with Zell...'_ Squall thought, his eye giving a slight twitch at the thought. Just what he needed, a Seifer-lite. ""I'll remember that." He deadpanned. Around him his party came ever closer, interested in the new mission. He looked at them all as stoically as he could as they each chirped their question to him.

"So tell us the new orders!" Zell said much too loudly, expelling some of his anger through his mouth.

"What kind of orders did we get?" Rinoa's hands were in excited fists.

"What's our mission?" Quistis asked stoically.

"What's our next mission?" Selphie's green eyes gleamed with the hope for a mission involving explosives.

Squall cleared his throat and his mind, preparing to disclose. "Our next mission..." He paused a moment, rereading to make sure there wasn't a mistake. He sighed and looked up at everyone. "This is no ordinary mission. It's a direct order from both Balamb and Galbadia Garden. We're to..." He blinked and swallowed, betraying further his stoic persona. " ...assassinate the sorceress." He paused, allowing for their startled gasps. We're to shoot her from afar." Pointing towards Irvine, he continued, his cool shell reappearing. "Kinneas will be our sharpshooter. We're to support Kinneas to our fullest. Should the sniper fail, we are to attack head on."

The sniper chuckled, hands grasping either side of his long overcoat. "Thanks for the support, but I never miss my target." He gave a cocky smile and a wink, an almost knowing twinkle in his eyes.

Squall wasn't particularly interested in playing this game. "Eliminate the sorceress. That's our order. We're going to head to the capital of Galbadia, Deling City. There, we'll meet up with General Caraway to go over the details of the plan. Let's get going." An inaudible grumble met his ear; turning, he saw Rinoa kicking at the pavement, her nose wrinkled up in disgust. Squall raised a brow. _'What's she upset about now?'_ She noticed his stare, her large almond eyes making contact with his stormy blue ones. Rinoa gave a quick smile, as if wordlessly saying it was okay.

"Well then... We'll need to choose a party for the trip to Deling City." Irvine drawled, looking over the party. Squall had to peel himself away from Rinoa's doe-like eyes and back towards Irvine. Zell had already turned away, shaking his hand vigorously in front of the cowboy. Irvine passed him by with a smile, completely ignoring him and bee-lining for Selphie, the girl giving a coy smile to the newcomer.

To Squall's disappointment(despite his mental denial of such a feeling), he chose Rinoa next, the girl turning around and looking at him with a frown. He tensed a bit while chewing the inside of his cheek, unsure if he should reconsider the new party. Then again, he mused to himself, he'd be less distracted by the girl if she's with Irvine. Would she be safe with him and Selphie? They're well trained, she should be perfectly safe without him by her side, right? Squall needed some time to clear his mind, after all. Rinoa's carefree personality, that arguing that irritated him, but also tugged at something in his chest...He needed her at a distance for a while, before he losses his mind.

"How's this?" The gunslinger asked, his voice dripping honey. Squall wanted to vomit.

He raised his hand dismissively. _'Yeah, whatever...'_ He looked at the girls, shrugging. "Have a good time." That could have come out better he thought, mentally kicking himself.

Rinoa's eyes narrowed, a pouty lip forming while her delicate eyebrows came together, casting daggers Squall's way. Selphie hopped while holding onto Irvine's arm, her face conveying anger, but her eyes betraying something else entirely. "Are you being sarcastic!?" Selphie yelled at Squall. His straight face and wide eyes at the accusation fueled the spunky girl. "You are, aren't you!" She smashed herself into Irvine's arm, to his absolute delight. "Well, fine then! We WILL have a good time!"

A smirk formed on Rinoa's face, her eyes glinting something evil, and Squall swore someone had cast a Firaga on him. "We understand very well." She turned away from him and latched onto Irvine's other arm, smiling sweetly at the cowboy. "Come on, Mr. Kinneas, let's go!" she said playfully, that same voice from the dance...They began to slowly walk towards the train station.

Squall swallowed heavy, a feeling of emptiness and longing in his chest. It wasn't supposed to be like this. _'...H-hey.'_ He clenched his fists.

Irvine chuckled as he looked at Rinoa, giving her arm a squeeze. "Call me Irvine." He looked back at Selphie, her emerald eyes sparkling. "I'm a pretty lucky guy. Hand in hand with two beautiful girls!" Selphie grasped his arm tight, bouncing happily towards the horizon.

"Irvy Kinnepooo! I'll make you very happy!" She cooed in delight.

Sullen, Squall watched as they made their way towards the vast wilderness of Galbadia, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and his mouth dry as sand. _'Did I say something terrible? Women...I don't understand them.'_ He didn't understand himself at that moment, either. What were these useless feelings for, anyway? Maybe they would leave him alone after a while. Something in the back of his mind told him it wouldn't, and he grimaced.

Quistis held her hand to her mouth in mock illness. "I think I feel sick..."

Zell stood defiant on the side of the pavement, his hands clenched at either side and his face still pink from the daring sniper's remarks. "Irvine Kinneas...Loser...!" He yelled, the action provoking nothing if Irvine even heard it.

Quistis leaned on Squall, grabbing his arm with a shy smile on her lips. "Come on, Squall. Let's go!" she said playfully, her smile growing larger as he sighed heavily.

 _'...H-Hey.'_ That's not helping at all. What the hell is wrong with him all of a sudden? He didn't need others, Squall mused. Least of all, some bratty girl suffering from idealism.

Zell snapped him out of his inner thoughts with his loud voice. "Squall, let's get going! We have to get there before they do!" He started jogging in place, warming up his legs. Quistis still held on to his arm, a gentle chuckle on her lips. Squall face palmed at his situation, a situation he put himself into moments ago.

 _'Grow up!'_ Squall screamed it in his mind towards his comrades, but most of all towards his own, emotion addled self.


End file.
